Bringing Order and Balance Back to PTP - Darth Vader Style

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Game 1

Lackey at King Felix

Welcome to the 2009 PTP AL Championship. Game 1 featured an excellent pitching match-up, Felix Hernandez vs. John Lackey. Game 1 got out to a quick start for Fish with an Eric Aybar single, stolen base, and an RBI single from Ichiro. The inning continued with an uncharacteristic error by Placido Polonco, which plated another run. Keith answers in the top of inning 2 with a double from Morales and an RBI single from Josh Hamilton. It was apparent the Hamilton was on “the good stuff” this evening , as he had a solo home run in the 4th and the 6th, for a game high 3 RBI’s. However, with a 4-3 lead, Keith trusted Jason Frazor to get him to his closer, a choice that would haunt him all series long. In the bottom of the 8th, with back to back deep drive rolls, post season heroes Bobby Abreu and Jorge Posada hit back to back jacks to take the lead. Felix would stay in for a complete game win. Fish wins 5-4.
Winning Pitcher: Hernandez
Losing Pitcher: Frazor
Home Runs: Hamilton (2), Abreu, Posada

Game 2

Beckett at Floyd (a collect call for Mr. Floyd)

Game 2 was all about Keith. He scored a run in the top of the 1st with a Carl Crawford leadoff single, plated by Kendry Morales. I came back with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st with a leadoff triple from Chone Figgons, base hit by Aybar, and RBI single from Ichiro. Then, the flood gates opened in the top of the 3rd inning: it started with a leadoff home run by Crawford, followed up by consecutive base hits by Markakis, Youkilis, and Morales, which was cleaned up with a 3-run home run by the big headed Polanco, the inning would plate 5 runs. Beckett cruised through 7 and 2/3 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and 11 strike outs. Keith wins 7-3.
Winning Pitcher: Beckett
Losing Pitcher: Floyd
Home Runs: Crawford, Polanco

Game 3

FELDMAN at NIEMANN

A match-up of two of the most average pitchers baffled the bats on both Keith and Fish’s squads. Both teams were held scoreless until the bottom of the 6th when Keith broke through with a run by Morales, plated by Weiters. The game was tied in the top of the 7th with a leadoff single from A-Rod and a triple from Granderson, Keith would gun down Granderson on a play at the plate later that inning. With the score tied in the top of the 8th, Chone Figgons led the inning off with a solo home run to take the lead. An insurance run was added when Granderson walked, stole a base and was plated by Posada. Nathan came on for a shaky save, giving up a run in the bottom of the ninth. Fish wins 3-2.
Winning Pitcher: Fuentes
Losing Pitcher: Frazor
Save: Nathan
Home Runs: Figgons

Game 4

Burnett at Gaudin

This game was all Fish from the outset. Erick Aybar tripled in the top of the 1st, then scored by A-Rod; later in the inning Bobby “I must” Abreu drove in A-Rod for a quick 2 run lead. In the bottom of the third, Yukes tripled in Carl Crawford to bring the game to 2-1. The game got out of hand in the top of the 4th with consecutive doubles by Konerko and Posada, walk by Figgons, and a base clearing double by Aybar. Later, the unlikely of sorts, Clifford Pennington, hit a two run home run, to bring the game to 6-4. Two insurance runs were added in the top of the ninth with a walk by Aybar, triple by Ichiro, and single by A-Rod. Carl Crawford added a solo home run in the bottom of the 9th. Fish wins 8-4.
Winning Pitcher: Burnett
Losing Pitcher: Gaudin
Home Runs: Crawford

Game 5

Felix at Lackey

An exceptional pitching match was apparent in this game. There was no scoring into the 7th inning; the virgin scoring column was broke through with a solo home run by Jorge Posada. Bobby Abreu hit a solo home run against his favorite pitcher Frazor in the top of the 8th. That was more than enough for King Felix, who pitched a shutout and was named the Championship MVP with two complete game wins.
Winning Pitcher: Hernandez
Losing Pitcher: Lackey
Home Runs: Posada, Abreu

Fish Wins the Series 4 Games to 1